Final Report August 2012 Table of Contents North Williams Traffic Operations Safety Project
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NORTH WILLIAMS TRAFFIC OPERATIONS SAFETY PROJECT photo: Jonathan Maus FINAL REPORT AUGUST 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS NORTH WILLIAMS TRAFFIC OPERATIONS SAFETY PROJECT INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................1 PROJECT CONTEXT....................................................................................2 EXISTING CONDITIONS............................................................................3 PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH..........................................5 PROJECT OUTCOMES................................................................................6 CONSTRAINTS..............................................................................................8 DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVE CONCEPTS.................................9 RECOMMENDED CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT...................................11 PROJECTED OUTCOMES................................................................................13 DESIGN DETAILS...............................................................................................14 RECOMMENDED CONCEPT TRAFFIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT... 23 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...................................................... 24 APPENDIX A. TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS APPENDIX B. EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT APPENDIX C. LIST OF PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENTS APPENDIX D. INITIAL CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT MEMO APPENDIX E. SAC FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS INTRODUCTION NORTH WILLIAMS TRAFFIC OPERATIONS SAFETY PROJECT The purpose of the North Williams Traffic Operations the streetscape with seven initial project goals that Safety Project was to conduct an open, community- were later expanded to address specific desirable driven planning process to identify strategies for project outcomes. making travel on North Williams Avenue safer and more comfortable for all roadway users. This report describes The North Williams Traffic Operations Safety Project the stakeholder and public outreach process that was relied heavily on input from a Stakeholder Advisory used to develop streetscape design concepts and the Committee, comprised of local residents, small resulting community recommendation. business owners, religious leaders and transportation advocates, to design alternative concepts for the This project was informed by previous planning work street (see page 5 for a full list of participating SAC conducted in 2006 as part of the Vancouver-Williams members). Portland Bureau of Transportation staff Transportation Project. In that 2006 project, a committee and project consultants also relied on a Technical A high level of public involvment was key to the success of recommended pedestrian safety improvements—most Advisory Committee (TAC) to review and analyze the North Williams Traffic Operations Safety Project of which have since been constructed with funding from design concepts for feasibility, impact to existing the Portland Development Commission. City staff for street operations and safety. For a list of the bureaus the North Williams Traffic Operations Safety Project and City staff that participated in the Technical expanded on this work by approaching the re-design of Advisory Committee, see Appendix A. INITIAL PROJECT GOALS 1 To conduct an open planning process through 5 To explore innovative solutions and strategies in the which all voices can be heard by the City North Vancouver/Williams corridor 2 To reduce or manage traffic conflicts between 6 To create conditions for transit service, traffic flow, people bicycling, people driving, and buses parking and active transportation that support existing operating on North Williams businesses and future business development 3 To improve conditions for bicycling on North 7 To honor the history of North Williams Avenue through Williams elements of the transportation project* 4 To maintain or improve conditions for walking on or across North Williams *Added per Stakeholder Advisory Committee recommendation in December 2011. How has traffic on North Williams Avenue changed over the years? 1900 - 1940: Streetcars 1970s: The Fremont Bridge is built 2006: Safety upgrades, operate on North to connect to a future Prescott such as new crosswalks Summer 2010: The Williams and Northeast 1940s: The streetcar on 1950s: Interstate 5 Freeway. Bridge traffic exits onto and curb extensions are Portland Bureau of Union Ave (MLK Jr Blvd). Williams is converted to a construction begins. Vancouver and Williams. added to Williams. Transportation begins trolley-bus. the North Williams Traffic Safety Operations Project. May 1900 1930 1960 1990 2010 2012 1960s: Williams’ homes and businesses are demolished in the name of “urban September 2011: Neighbors and the SAC 2007: Bicycle traffic renewal”. Interstate 5 is completed. do walking/biking tours and identify street 1999: Bike lanes are striped on increases 138% in a Williams and Vancouver are converted conflicts. Bike traffic on Williams reaches Williams and Vancouver. single year. to a one-way couplet. 4,000 daily bike trips. ALTA PLANNING + DESIGN 0 1 PROJECT CONTEXT NORTH WILLIAMS TRAFFIC OPERATIONS SAFETY PROJECT North Williams Avenue is a one-way street (northbound) PCC KILLINGSWORTH and an existing bikeway connecting the Rose Quarter Transit Center and Springwater Corridor to North Portland, and areas beyond. The street runs through the heart of the historic Albina community, one of Portland’s oldest neighborhoods and once an independent city. ALBERTA North Williams Avenue is a historic “main street” for Portland’s African American community. It was significantly impacted by past major redevelopment projects, including Memorial Coliseum, I-5 construction, GOING and especially the early 1970s Emanuel Hospital SKIDMORE expansion that was never completed. The North Williams Traffic Operations Safety Project acknowledged the negative impact of these past planning efforts. It strived to conduct a planning process that addressed community concerns, needs and desires—a process that eventually led to a solution on North Williams supported by the WILLIAMS 15TH community. MISSISSIPPI VANCOUVER FREMONT ! Bolliger the Shade Man Irving Park Atherton's Ice Cream ! ! Henderson Upholstery Shop Blessed Martin DePerres LEGACY Friendship House ! RODNEY ! Hyatt's Saw Filing and EMANUEL 7TH Lawn Mower Service MARTIN LUTHER KING JR LUTHER MARTIN Portland Camelia Nursery ! KNOTT NE COOK ST RUSSELL ! Frank E. Wiester Bicycle Company 5 Wallace Bar-B-Q, restaurant ! ! George E. Wightman Co. TILLAMOOK ! Williams Sales and Service BROADWAY WEIDLER Arctic Food Lockers and Food Mart ! BROADWAY Willamette NE FARGO ST River ROSE LLOYD CENTER QUARTER MULTNOMAH I A snapshot of the predominantly African American owned businesses on North Williams in 1956. The top left corner is the future site of New Seasons Market Project Corridor Existing Bikeway Proposed Bikeway ALTA PLANNING + DESIGN 0 2 EXISTING CONDITIONS NORTH WILLIAMS TRAFFIC OPERATIONS SAFETY PROJECT The project study area included the approximately P P 2-mile section of North Williams from North Winning Way in the Rose Quarter to Killingsworth P P Street. At present, there are 34 intersections in the study corridor. The character and function of North Williams Avenue changes along its length. Similarly, the issues and concerns identified by stakeholders varies. As a result, the project team broke the corridor into five smaller segments to 10’ 7’ 10’ 10’ 6’ 7’ 10’ better distinguish these differences and allow SIDEWALK PARKING LANE TRAVEL LANE TRAVEL LANE BIKE PARKING LANE SIDEWALK LANE design solutions to be tailored to the conditions 10’ 7’ 10’ 10’ 6’ 7’ 10’ found in each segment. SIDEWALK PARKING LANE TRAVEL LANE 40’ curb-to-curbTRAVEL LANE BIKE PARKING LANE SIDEWALK LANE The typical street existing cross-section is shown in Figure 1 and has a curb-to-curb width of 40’ curb-to-curb 40’ that includes parking on both sides of the street, two travel lanes, and a 5’ - 6’ wide bike lane. The existing bike lanes were added to FIGURE 1: Existing street cross section between Hancock Street North Williams Avenue in 1999 by narrowing and Killingsworth Street the two motor vehicle travel lanes. Although the lane configuration varies at a number of intersections (where the parking lane is dropped prior to the intersection to form right- or left-turn lanes), the typical roadway width is 40’ between Killingsworth Street and Hancock Street. South of Hancock Street the pavement width reduces to 36’ (see Figure 2). P Existing transportation conditions along the P corridor, including bicycle and motor vehicle traffic volumes, transit boardings and alightings, crash history, and parking utilization, were documented in the North Williams Existing Conditions memorandum prepared by Kittelson 10’ 8’ 10’ 11’ 7’ 10’ & Associates, Inc. (see Appendix B). This report SIDEWALK PARKING LANE TRAVEL LANE TRAVEL LANE BIKE SIDEWALK relied on 2010 bike count data, but the most 10’ 8’ 10’ 11’ LANE7’ 10’ recent counts demonstrate a 29-percent increase SIDEWALK PARKING LANE TRAVEL LANE36’ curb-to-curbTRAVEL LANE BIKE SIDEWALK in bicycle traffic between 2010 and 2011. LANE 36’ curb-to-curb FIGURE 2: Existing street cross section south of Hancock Street ALTA PLANNING + DESIGN 0 3 EXISTING CONDITIONS NORTH WILLIAMS TRAFFIC OPERATIONS SAFETY PROJECT A summary of the role of this street TRANSIT for each of the major travel modes is KILLINGSWORTH FIGURE 3: Existing conditions on the North Williams corridor included below: The corridor offers frequent transit MOTOR VEHICLE VOLUMES (PEAK HOUR ) service